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The bough of a Laurel was considered to give to prophets 

 the faculty of seeing that which was hidden. Dionysius calls the 

 Laurel the prophetical plant; and Ciaudian, venturi prescia Laurus. 

 Fulgentius states, that a Laurel-leaf placed beneath the pillow will 

 cause coming events to be foreseen in a dream ; thereby greatly 

 assisting the predication of future events. Diviners, like the priests 

 of Apollo, wore Laurel wreaths, and Laurel was used in the com- 

 position of incense, Evelyn relates that the Laurel and Agnus 

 Castus were reputed to be "trees which greatly composed the 

 'phansy,' and did facilitate true visions; and that the first was 

 especially efficacious to inspire a poetical fury. Such a tradition 

 there goes of Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, in imitation of her father- 

 in-law. The instance is recited out of an ancient ecclesiastical 

 history, by Abulensis." From hence, Evelyn thinks the Delphic 

 Tripos, the Dodonean Oracle in Epirus, and others of a similar 

 nature, took their origin. The Pythia, or priestess of Apollo, 

 at Delphi, before delivering the oracles from the sacred tripod, 

 shook a Laurel-tree and sometimes chewed the leaves with which 

 she crowned herself, casting them afterwards into the sacred fire. 

 The temple of Apollo at Delphi, where the celebrated oracles 

 were delivered, was at first only a strucfture of Laurel-branches, 

 which enclosed a fissure in the earth, from which a stupefying 

 exhalation arose. Over the fissure was placed a tripod, on which 

 the Pythia or prophetess sat, and, becoming excited by the ascend- 

 ing vapour, she fell into an ecstacy, and prophesied. After a temple 

 of stone had been construdted, the Pythia prophesied in an inner 

 and secluded cell, the only opening to which, accessible to ques- 

 tioners, was covered with Laurel-leaves. The Laurel being sacred 

 to Apollo as well as to ^sculapius, was used in the temples of 

 both these divinities, partly to induce sleep and dreams, partly to 

 produce beneficial effedls in various diseases. Whosoever wished 

 to ask counsel was bound to appear before the altar crowned with 

 Laurel-twigs and chewing Laurel-leaves. Every ninth year, a 

 bower, composed of Laurel-branches, was erecfled in the forecourt 

 of the temple at Delphi. 



The Boeotian fetes, held every ninth year at Thebes in honour 

 of Apollo, were designated Daphnephoria. On these occasions, 

 an Olive-bough, adorned with Laurel, was carried by a beautiful and 

 illustrious youth, dedicated to the service of Apollo, and who was 

 called Daphnephoros (Laurel-bearer). The origin of the Daphnephoria 

 was as follows : — The ^tolians had invaded Boeotia, but both 

 invaders and defenders suspended hostilities to celebrate the 

 festival of Apollo, and having cut down Laurel-boughs from Mount 

 Helicon, they walked in procession in honour of the divinity: that 

 same day the Boeotian general, Polemates, dreamed that a youth 

 presented him with a suit of armour, and commanded the 

 Boeotians to offer prayers to Apollo, and to walk in procession, 

 with Laurel-boughs in their hands, every ninth year. Three days 



